Untitled
by Esmuerla
Summary: It’s Christmas in Amestris and even the military is delighting in the holiday. Things escalate when the Fuhrer makes an announcement that scatters his troops and sends Roy, Riza, Ed, and Winry South.
1. Christmas in Central

**Title: **Untitled

**Author: **Esmuerla (Emera D'Anae and Sull89)

**Chapter Title: **Christmas at Central

**Chapter Written By: **Emera

**Summary: **It's Christmas in Amestris and even the military is delighting in the holiday. During the annual Christmas party, four people will face love, responsibility, joy, worry, and pain all in one night. Things escalate when the Fuhrer makes an announcement that scatters his troops and sends Roy, Riza, Ed, and Winry South.

**Pairings: **Ed/Winry, Roy/Riza, slight Maes/Gracia, mentions of Havoc/Sheska

**Genre: **Romance, Angst, Action (in later chapters)

**Notes: **This is based off an RP Sull and I did in March. We both decided it was good enough to post, so I'm writing it in story form. She may write some chapters, but we're not entirely sure how this is all going to work yet. The title will change when we can think of something suitable. Enjoy!

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It was a rather warm day considering it was December, and the Military Headquarters at Central seemed to be taking advantage of this. There was personnel decorating, setting up tables and chairs, and putting the final touches on several Christmas trees. Roy Mustang stood in the center of it all, barking orders at those around him. Edward Elric, who was digging through a box of decorations, shot the Colonel an aggravated look.

"Colonel, are you going get up and actually do something, or sit there like usual? We could use some help." He asked, turning his attention back to the box in front of him. Roy arched an eyebrow at the younger alchemist's question, "Someone here has to make sure you do your jobs right." He responded in a cool tone, which only granted him another glare from Ed.

"That's the point. Help." Ed said, picking up the box he had been rummaging through. Riza, who was standing on a ladder not far from the two, stopped what she had been doing to turn to her superior, "Sir, he has a point. We need to get this done." She said, hoping to stop the impending argument between the two State Alchemists.

Roy looked at Riza, then back at Ed, a slight smirk overcoming his features, "Alright, alright. It's probably better if I do help, considering someone couldn't hang the streamers even if he had a ladder." By the time he finished speaking, his smirk had grown into a full-blown grin.

Ed fumed at Roy's words, his hands clutched at his sides as he turned around to face the Colonel. "Short… I AM NOT A PINT-SIZED MIDGET WHO'S TOO SMALL FOR A FLEA TO EVEN SEE!" Ed yelled, flailing his arms for emphasis, which did nothing but make Roy laugh. Riza sighed at Ed's outburst, "Edward, no one said that."

Ed didn't reply to the Lieutenant, he simply glared at Roy for all he was worth, fighting to restrain himself from punching the cocky grin off his face. Roy crossed the small space between he and Ed and rested his elbow on the latter's head, studying his fingernails nonchalantly, "Come on, FullMetal, these decorations aren't going to put themselves up." With that, Roy leaned down to pick up a box of streamers and large decorative wreaths. He moved to join Riza, still smirking.

Ed fumed momentarily, then turned toward the tables, box in hand, intent on helping Winry decorate the tables, muttering the whole way.

Riza glanced down at Roy, who was picking through the box at his feet. "You enjoy doing that, don't you, sir?" She asked, allowing amusement to trickle into her voice. Roy looked up at her, smirk present on his face, and replied, "What can I say? He's just too easy." He selected a roll of crepe paper from the box and began decorating.

Winry chuckled quietly at the look on Ed's face as he walked over and set the box down, still muttering about Roy. "Don't let him get to you, Ed." She said, ducking her head to hide her grin as he looked at her. "He's pompous, cocky… Thinks that he's so wonderful, the great Flame Alchemist." Ed continued his muttering, reaching for a bare mini Christmas tree to decorate.

Riza laughed at Roy's words, beginning on the finishing touches of the streamers she was hanging. "I understand, sir. Thank you for getting up to help." She said, finishing the streamers finally. Roy shrugged before responding, "It's not like there's much else to do. Besides, this beats doing paperwork."

"Come on, Ed," Winry said, her earlier smile still in place, "cheer up. It IS nearly Christmas." She said, picking up the small tree she had been decorating for emphasis. Ed thought for a moment, then shook his head. "You're right, Winry. No sense in letting him get to me."

Riza blinked, then looked down at Roy, who was arguing silently with a rather large wreath. "Sir, please don't take this the wrong way, but, you don't often do paperwork anyway." Roy blinked up at her, finally getting the wreath to stay on the wall. "Looks like we're all done here."

Winry grinned, "That's more like it!" She returned her attention to the mini-Christmas tree in front of her, finishing it by adding one final ornament. "Whatcha think?" She asked, showing off her work; the tree was covered with tiny wrenches, bolts, and other things reminiscent of her workshop. Ed shook his head and laughed, "It fits you, Win'." He said, continuing his laughter.

"Right, sir." Riza climbed down from the ladder and stood beside Roy, looking at all the decorations. The grounds of Central looked beautiful; large and small Christmas trees glittered merrily and red and green streamers hung from every place imaginable, wreaths placed along their lines at regular intervals. She smiled, "I think I can say we've done well." Roy nodded his agreement, and replied, "Of course we did, I was the one over-seeing everything after all." Riza laughed at Roy not-so-subtle egotistical banter and nodded, "Of course, sir."

Winry smiled at Ed, "Of course it does!" She set it triumphantly on the table and looked around at the decorations. "Looks like everything else is done." She concluded after looking around the grounds. She bounced up and down in excitement, "Ooooh, I'm so excited!" She said, grinning at Ed. He smiled and shook his head, "I know you are. I am too, and I'm glad you could make it to Central on such short notice." Winry nodded at him, then stopped, looking around again, as if she had lost something. "Where's Al?" She asked, not seeing him anywhere. Ed began looking for the younger Elric brother as well, "Come to think of it, I'm not sure." He looked around a bit more before shouting his brother's name. "Al!" The boy in question poked his head around the corner of the front gate, "I'm over here, brother!"

Roy walked to the chair he had been previously occupying and plopped down into it, turning his head to Riza to speak, "Who else are we waiting for, Hawkeye?" He asked, eager to get the festivities started. Riza sat at a table opposite Roy, "Well, Falman, Havoc, and Feury should be here sometime soon. Breda didn't want to come. Said is was because he knew Hayate would be here." She reached down to pet the dog, who wandered by at that moment. Feury said that Havoc might actually have found himself a girlfriend." Roy leaned forward in interest, chuckling as he spoke, "Really? It's about time." Riza nodded, "That's what we told him."

"Al, what are you doing?" Ed asked, rising. Al laughed nervously. "Eh heh, nothing, brother!" He disappeared behind the corner again and Ed heard him stand before reappearing. "Alphonse! You're not telling the truth!" Ed said, then turned to Roy, having heard what Riza said about Havoc. "Yeah, then he said something about the fact that it wasn't his fault you stole every girl he was interested in." Roy shrugged, "It's not my fault he isn't any competition for me." Riza shook her head and smiled slightly, "We know, sir." Ed glared pointedly at the Colonel, "You seem to do it to him on purpose."

Roy couldn't help but smirk, "Come on, FullMetal, would I do something like that?" Ed raised his eyebrows, "Do you really want me to answer that, Colonel?" Roy shrugged, "That's okay, FullMetal, I'm not sure I would be able to hear your answer anyway." Ed stared at Roy, his eyes narrowing. "What are you trying to say?" Roy shrugged, "Nothing that the vertically challenger would care to hear." He relied, the smirk in his voice and not on his face.

"Vertically challenged!" Ed opened his mouth to say more, but stopped instead, remembering what Winry said and opting to take her advice. Ed returned his attention to Al, who had walked into the courtyard and was standing at his side. Before either of the brothers could speak, Roy spoke again, amusement in his voice, "Well, he finally managed to control himself. It's a Christmas Miracle." He smirked at Ed when the latter turned to glare at him. "Don't push me, Mustang." Ed warned, turning his back on Roy to talk to his brother.

"Ehh, sorry, brother." Al spoke first, fidgeting nervously. "Sorry for what?" The younger Elric said nothing and Ed leaned forward, wanting to get whatever Al was hiding out of him. "Al?" He said in a warning tone. Al shook his head and pulled back from his brother. "Nothing, nothing." Al brought his hand to the back of his neck, and as he did, a small 'meow' echoed from his armour. Ed sighed heavily, shaking his head, "Al… again?"

Al jumped to his defense immediately, "Sorry, brother, but it's Christmas and I couldn't just leave them there!" Ed gaped slightly at Al, "Them? There's more than one this time?" Al hesitated before speaking again, "Well… there are four." Ed looked at Al for a few moments longer, then sighed. "Al, you know we can't keep them, right?" Al nodded sadly then walked off. Ed shook his head and leaned against the nearest table.

Riza turned to Roy after a few moments of silence. "What is left to do, sir?" She asked, not really knowing what else to say. Roy looked around again and shrugged slightly. "Nothing. Just wait for everyone else to arrive, I suppose." Riza nodded and sat beside Roy. "Right, sir." She said nothing else, opting instead to watch Roy.

They sat together for a few minutes, Roy relaxing with his eyes closed and Riza simply watching him, until Roy looked at Riza out of the corner of his eye. "I suppose we should look alive. This is a party after all." He said, standing and waiting for Riza to follow. She smiled at him and stood. "You have a point sir."

--

A/N: Since this was written based off an RP, it was kind of hard for me to figure out where to stop it, so I thought this was best. I'm following it word for word and not adding/deleting anything, so it makes chaptering this pretty hard.

Thanks for reading!

-Esmuerla


	2. Dance With Me

**Title: **Untitled

**Author: **Esmuerla (Emera D'Anae and Sull89)

**Chapter Title: **Dance With Me

**Chapter Written By: **Emera

**Summary: **It's Christmas in Amestris and even the military is delighting in the holiday. During the annual Christmas party, four people will face love, responsibility, joy, worry, and pain all in one night. Things escalate when the Fuhrer makes an announcement that scatters his troops and sends Roy, Riza, Ed, and Winry South.

**Pairings: **Ed/Winry, Roy/Riza, slight Maes/Gracia, mentions of Havoc/Sheska

**Genre: **Romance, Angst, Action (in later chapters)

**Notes: **Well, it's taken me a month and 4 days, but here's chapter two. A bit more fluff between our couples, but the good stuff comes next chapter (which will probably be written by the incredibly talented Sull) so stay tuned! (And leave us nice reviews. We are review whores. Please?)

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"You have a point, Sir." Riza said, smiling at Roy. "We need to breathe some life into it." She looked at the people milling around, not really knowing what to do. When her eyes returned to Roy's face, she saw he was smiling. "I think we can drop the formalities a little today, hmm?" He offered, his grin widening as he spoke.

Ed looked for Al, having lost sight of him again, and finally spotted him crouching half under an empty table. "What are you doing?" Ed half yelled, bouncing off the table he had been leaning against to stand fully. Ed could see Al stiffen at his brother's voice. "Nothing, brother!" Al responded, his head still under the table. Ed's eyes widened at Al's nervous tone and he began walking towards his younger brother. "Alphonse…" He said upon reaching his target. Al removed his head from underneath the table to look up at Ed, "Yes, brother?" Ed crossed his arms, trying his best to look commanding. "What are you doing?" Ed repeated, hoping to get an answer from his brother this time. "Uhh… well, I found a box."

A slight blush crept over Riza's cheeks and she nodded. "Yes, si-" She cut herself off with a laugh. "Alright." Roy smiled at her a moment longer before his attention turned to someone standing behind her. "Well, well, well, look who's arrived." Roy said as Havoc walked over. He shot his superior a sly smile and Roy continued speaking, "So, Havoc, who's this girlfriend I've been hearing so much about?" He asked, looking around for said female.

Ed sighed heavily. "Al, you do know we can't keep them, right? Just like every other time you've found them." Al nodded and Ed could swear he heard his younger brother emit a small, sad sigh. "I know, Brother." At that, Al tugged the box out from under the table. "I just thought maybe we could find someone here who could keep them. There are a lot of people..." Ed let his arms fall from their crossed position across his chest and his eyes softened considerably. "You're right, Al. It's worth a try."

Havoc blinked a few times in response to Roy's question, then he saluted with a grin on his face. He stepped to the side slightly and tugged on the hand of the woman behind him. "You know Sheska, I think." He said. The woman smiled nervously at Roy, who blinked at her in return. "Sheska?" He laughed now, not having expected to see the bookworm. "Well, congratulations then." Havoc's grin widened and he nodded. "Thanks." He had no more time to say anything else, however, as Sheska pulled him in the other direction upon seeing Winry.

Al could barely restrain himself from glomping his older brother. "Thank you, brother!" He exclaimed happily. Ed laughed at Al's childish enthusiasm. "No problem, Al." He said with a grin. Al began looking around for people to take the kittens. When he returned his gaze to Ed, Al noticed he was glancing at Winry. Al nudged Ed lightly. "Go on, Brother. I can handle this. You should have some fun. Besides, Winry's here and I know you're happy to see her."

Sheska ran over to Winry happily, Havoc at her heels as she pulled him along behind her. Winry noticed her friend and she smiled happily. "Sheska!" Winry hugged the other girl when she was within reach. "I didn't know you would be here!" Sheska hugged Winry back, finally releasing her grip on Havoc's wrist, laughing. "Neither did I, to tell you the truth! Jean just called me a few days ago and asked if…" Sheska paused, blushing slightly, "…I'd like to go with him."

Roy watched Sheska drag Havoc off with an amused look on his face. "It's about time he found someone. Getting rejected all the time was affecting his duties. I would have never thought of Sheska though." He finished by shaking his head. Riza nodded, "I agree. Although, according to him, you're the reason he kept getting rejected." She shot Roy a curious look and found he had a cocky smirk on his face. "Sheska could be good for him." Roy shrugged. "Perhaps." At that moment, festive music began playing and Roy's smirk grew into a grin as he turned to Riza. "Do you dance?"

"You and Jean?" Winry clarified, looking back and forth in slight confusion between Havoc and Sheska. She broke out into a large grin and hugged Sheska again. "Aww, I'm so happy for you!" Sheska sighed, relieved, and then straightened up. "Thank you, Winry." Sheska turned her head and smiled at Havoc. "I never would have though it myself, but he is really sweet." Sheska finished, leaning forward and winking as she finished speaking.

"I don't know, Al." Ed let his eyes slide back to Winry as he thought. He sighed, returning his gaze to Al. "Maybe you're right. I'll go talk with her." Ed braced himself momentarily, then made his way over to Winry and Sheska. Sheska noticed him just before Winry did. "Looks like someone wants to talk with you!" She said with again, grabbing hold of Havoc's wrist and dragging him off again, shouting "We'll see you!" over her shoulder as she went.

Riza looked at Roy. Her startled look quickly turned into a warm smile. "I haven't lately, but I can try." She brushed the back of her skirt smooth nervously and Roy smirked at her, holding out his hands. "Don't tell me you're nervous." Riza returned Roy's smirk with one of her own. "Me? Nervous?" She asked, placing her hands in Roy's and shaking her head, "I don't think so." Roy nodded to Riza as they began dancing, a lopsided grin still on his face. "Well good, I thought you might try to back out on me."

Winry smiled at Ed as he approached her. "I was wondering if you'd forgotten about me." Ed raised his eyebrows at her comment. "Forget about you?" He stopped to shake his head, "I don't think so, Win'. I just had to make sure Al wasn't doing something he shouldn't be and-" Ed stopped himself at the look on Winry's face, realizing he'd been babbling. He turned his eyes to the ground, then out to look at the people around them. "What do you think so far?"

Riza looked Roy in the eyes, challenging his words with some of her own, "I've never backed out on you before, have I?" With that, she squeezed Roy's hand gently, almost unnoticeably. "Why would now be any different?" That seemed to be enough of a reason for Roy, who just smiled at her and continued dancing quietly. Riza returned his smile and he swung her away from him and quickly back, whirling her in a circle before they returned to their original position.

Winry looked around, contemplating an answer before answering, "It's pretty nice, for a military party." Ed nodded, "I'm glad you think so." She grinned now, letting her eyes rest on Ed. "What about you?" Ed shrugged slightly before responding. "I'm not much for State gatherings, but this one isn't so bad." He paused slightly, lowering his voice to a whisper as he spoke, "Especially since you're here now." Winry looked intently at Ed for a moment, then grinned. "Hey, you wanna dance?" She asked, bouncing off the table she had been leaning on. Ed started, a surprised look on his face. "I don't know, Winry, I've never really danced before-" Ed cut himself off, pushing off the table as well, resolve on his face, "but I guess there's a first time for everything, huh?" He held his hand out to Winry now, "Come on."

"You know," Roy started during a decline in the intensity of the song, "for someone who hasn't danced in awhile, you're not bad." He complimented with a grin. Riza responded with a short laugh. "Thanks. I'm assuming that you're definitely not out of practice." Roy laughed with her in response. "I try." Riza grinned slightly and took a step inward, closing the distance between her and Roy slightly.

Winry looked at Ed, slight shock on her face at Ed's acquiescence. After a moment, however, she smiled and took his hand and he lead her to the dance floor. "If it makes you feel any better, I've never danced before either." Ed stopped when they reached the floor and turned to Winry. "Yeah, it does, a little." He hesitated slightly as he put his other arm around her waist. Winry noticed his hesitation and grinned, trying to calm him down, "Come on, Ed, loosen up. It's just a dance." Ed sighed almost nervously, "I know, Winry, but I'm not good in social… situations." He turned his head to glare at Roy for a moment, "Especially not with people like him around." Winry fought the urge to roll her eyes at Ed, "Oh, come on, Ed! Don't be so hung up on Roy."

Roy looked over Riza's shoulder and noticed Ed and Winry dancing awkwardly. A devious smile on his face, he lead Riza closer to them, and when he got close enough he spun Riza away from him, simultaneously tripping Ed up ever so slightly, pushing Ed and Winry closer together before pulling Riza back to him. Ed, who had been about to answer Winry, tripped up and fell into Winry slightly, brushing up against her momentarily before righting himself. He blushed at the close contact, but they both adjusted so they could dance comfortable.

Riza raised her eyebrows at Roy, "Being nice to FullMetal for once?" She whispered. Roy shrugged in response, "He looked like he needed help." Riza grinned. "I always knew you'd do something like that." Roy gave Riza a strange look before responding again. "It was a one time thing." Riza smiled, shaking her head as she did. "Of course, sir."


	3. A Small Change in Pace

**Title: **Untitled

**Author: **Esmuerla (Emera D'Anae and Sull89)

**Chapter Title: **A Small Change in Pace

**Chapter Written By: **Sull

**Summary: **It's Christmas in Amestris and even the military is delighting in the holiday. During the annual Christmas party, four people will face love, responsibility, joy, worry, and pain all in one night. Things escalate when the Fuhrer makes an announcement that scatters his troops and sends Roy, Riza, Ed, and Winry South.

**Pairings: **Ed/Winry, Roy/Riza, slight Maes/Gracia, mentions of Havoc/Sheska

**Genre: **Romance, Angst, Action (in later chapters)

**Notes: **Finally, I got chapter 3 up. Sorry it took me so long. So now we've got a few questions hovering over our couples, and soon something new will be revealed. Next chapter is being handled by Em and I know it'll be amazing, like her stuff always is. So be expecting that! (And she's right! We're both review whores! So leave us some, please. )

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Roy held Riza close as the song wound to an end, chiding her with an amused grin on his face as they spun in slow circles, "What did I say about formalities?" Waiting on her response, the Flame Colonel took a moment to close his eyes and burn this night and the feeling of freedom that came with it into his memories.

Crinkling her eyes in a silent, slightly embarrassed apology, Riza let her dance partner guide her through the steps once more as she whispered, "Sorry." Smiling, she tried to find a way to excuse herself, even though she knew it probably wouldn't work, "Some things die hard, even if only for a few hours."

The explanation was brushed aside lightly as he grinned, "Don't worry about it." Turning to look around him as he held Riza close, Roy noticed that the dance floor was all but empty now, and it almost made him laugh to realize that the two of them had been so oblivious to the passage of time, "You wanna get something to eat?" He pulled back just enough for Riza to see the floor herself before adding, "Looks like we're the only ones still dancing."

Riza, too, finally realized that most of their cohorts had abandoned them in pursuit of other things, and laughing now as just a touch of a blush colored her cheeks she turned toward the buffet table to check out the spread, speaking to Roy in the process, "Sure, food sounds good."

Linking his arm through Riza's in an almost cocky manner, one that didn't escape her attention but rather made her laugh again, the alchemist started to lead her toward the table, "Well then, let's go!" Intent as he was on getting his food though, Roy didn't fail to notice that Riza had placed her free hand on his lower arm. Now, for some reason unbeknownst to him, a soft and actually sincere smile crossed Roy's face.

--

As the song wound to a close, Winry stopped moving almost reluctantly, allowing her feet to finally rest on the floor and hold her in one spot as Ed did the same. Blushing, she looked down at the floor as she spoke, but soft as it was her voice was still easy for the young boy to hear, "That wasn't so bad…"

Ed refrained from letting go of Winry's hand as quick as he could of, and squeezed it just once, quickly, before letting her have it back. As Winry turned her gaze to him, a sort of curiosity in her eyes, Ed had to take to staring intently at the floor; doing his best to hide the blush that covered his own face, "Not as bad as it could have been, at least…"

Letting her eyes roam over the hall, Winry tried to find something, anything she could use to change the topic before it got even more awkward. A few tables set along the far wall, piled high with food, caught her attention and gratefully now she breathed out, "Hey… you hungry?"

Upon seeing the food, Ed actually felt his stomach rumble. Paling slightly, and hoping that Winry hadn't heard, he nodded, "Yeah, actually." Starting to walk toward the table, Edward kept pace with the girl and had reached for a plate before realizing that he hadn't even bothered to ask Winry how she felt, "Um… how about you?"

Now she laughed outright at Ed's dance-induced forgetfulness, "Why do you think I asked?" Taking the plate he handed her, Winry started to take food buffet style, carefully arranging things so they would stay put. Making her way down the line, she took what she wanted, keeping quiet until a sudden giggle escaped her, "Hey Ed, look." Reaching out, Winry grabbed a small carton of milk from the table and held it up, "Hehe, want some?"

Setting his half-filled plate down on the table, Ed took to crossing his arms and glaring at Winry, "You know I don't drink that stuff!" Shrugging, he turned his back on Winry as she wiggled the milk carton in his face, trying to push it away from himself with one shoulder, "Milk is nasty."

Still giggling, Winry moved until she was standing in front of Ed and quickly tapped the end of his nose with the carton before he could move, "Come on, Ed!" Still circling him as he gave her a petulant look, Winry poked Ed with the milk again, "You know you wanna!"

Casting an evil glance toward her out of the corner of his eye, Ed muttered just one word, "Winry…" Still making incoherent noises under his breath, the alchemist nonetheless refrained from saying anything rude or snide to Winry like he might have done before, instead opting to just shoot her dirty looks.

"All right, all right," putting the milk carton back with all the rest, Winry finally stopped pestering Ed, "I'll leave you alone."

--

Farther down the line of tables, Colonel Mustang was grabbing everything within his reach, piling it high as it would go yet still remain on his plate. As Riza watched him, amusement sparkling in her eyes, he turned to her for just a moment in his quest for more nourishment, "I wish they had food like this for us all the time."

Riza continued to place a normal amount of food on her own plate as she took to laughing at Roy, "I don't think they'd be able to afford it." Pausing to grab a fork from the end of the buffet table as she and Roy made their way to a couple seats, she spoke again, "Not if you would eat this much every day."

By the time those last words had fled Riza's lips, her companion had already sat down and was in the midst of shoving food down his gullet. Turning his gaze toward her with a weird look in his eyes, Roy swallowed his meal with a guilt laden half smile, "I resent that."

Now the Lieutenant took the chair across from Roy, gently setting her plate down as she grinned and then laid a napkin across her legs before picking up a utensil, "I don't doubt that." Shaking her head, Riza then began to eat, taking small bites and chewing slowly, savoring both the good food and the company of the man opposite her.

After watching Riza for a moment and catching the soft grin she shot him with her eyes as she ate slowly, Roy too calmed in his eating patterns, deciding to pace himself a bit more normally. They ate in silence, but it was a comfortable one, and as both of them finished Roy leaned back in his chair slightly and stretched his shoulders slightly, "So, what else has been planned for tonight?"

Gently placing her fork against her plate, Riza kept it from staining the tablecloth, leaving her area as clean as it had been before she sat down; in stark comparison to the mess that covered Roy's half of the platform. "I think the Fuhrer is coming later tonight," Riza paused in her tale as an amusing look of pure shock rode over Roy's face, laughing just a bit to herself before finishing, "and I heard that he's got some big announcement to give."

--

Nodding once in silent thanks, Ed then changed the subject, "This food looks good, doesn't it?" Reaching for a thick slice of bread, the young alchemist wasn't exactly paying attention as he talked, and his fingers brushed across the top of Winry's as she went for the same thing, "They usually don't feed us like this."

Winry's eyes got wide in the same moment as Ed's and she snapped her hand back, away from the bread platter as she blushed from the contact, "It does look good." Casting a quick glance to Ed, Winry couldn't help but blush a little bit more; the tingling that was going through her fingers right now really wasn't unpleasant.

"Yeah…" Breathing out that one word, Ed quickly shoved his hands into the pockets of his pants, blushing just like Winry. The warmth emanating from his cheeks was just enough to warm his skin, and Ed ducked his head now, ashamed, in a way, of how apparent his blush must be.

Faking a small cough to offset the sudden awkward pall around the two of them, Winry tried to find something else to talk about, "Do you know what else they're doing?" Turning to face Ed, she pushed her blush back so he wouldn't see, "Is it just dancing and eating?" Now watching the people move around them, seemingly oblivious to the two teens in their midst, Winry added one more thing to her spoken thoughts, "I've never really been to something like this before…"

Slowly, Ed slipped his hands from his pockets and picked up his plate again, cradling it in his automail palm, "I'm not sure either, to tell the truth…" Reaching up to rub the back of his neck with his free hand, Ed directed his voice away from Winry a little bit, as though really not wanting her to hear his next, "Usually I'm either not in Central or in one of the hospitals when they're going on…"

Winry now set her plate firmly back on the table and crossing her arms in front of her almost defensively, took to questioning Ed again, although this time her words were quieter and carried much more weight, "How often do these things occur?" It hurt Ed, to hear the sorrow that laced her voice; he knew she was talking about the hospital visits.

"Oh…" inwardly flinching now, wishing he hadn't said anything of the sort to Winry, Edward tried to find some way to circumvent it, "It's, it's no big deal, Winry." Smiling now, in an attempt to convince her that he meant what he was saying, Ed made to shrug it all off, "Never anything major."

--

"Really?" Abruptly straightening his back against his chair, Roy leaned forward now to stare at Riza, intensity filling his eyes, "Why haven't I heard about this?"

Her voice was silent now, almost to the point where no one could hear, but Ed understood her words perfectly and it stabbed at him again, to know how he made Winry worry, "If it's bad enough to land you in a hospital, it's a big deal to me."


	4. Speculation

**Title: **Untitled

**Author: **Esmuerla (Emera D'Anae and Sull89)

**Chapter Title: **Speculation

**Chapter Written By: **Emera

**Summary: **It's Christmas in Amestris and even the military is delighting in the holiday. During the annual Christmas party, four people will face love, responsibility, joy, worry, and pain all in one night. Things escalate when the Fuhrer makes an announcement that scatters his troops and sends Roy, Riza, Ed, and Winry South.

**Pairings: **Ed/Winry, Roy/Riza, slight Maes/Gracia, mentions of Havoc/Sheska

**Genre: **Romance, Angst, Action (in later chapters)

**Notes: **Gosh this has taken me a long time to write. Xx Sorry, finals and all that. But now that school is over for both Sull and I, we'll be updating more often. We just want to say: if you read this, **please** review it. Just a little comment. We just want to know how many people are reading, etc. Alright, I'm sure whoever IS reading would like to get on with it, so here you go.

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Ed stared at Winry for a long moment, letting her words sink in. Finally gaining control of his tongue, he spoke slowly, thinking carefully before he voiced his thoughts. "Winry…" He stopped himself, taking a breath and thinking again before he continued, "I always come out fine, don't I? It's alright."

Winry shook her head, pushing Ed's words aside. "But what if the next time you don't? I dunno what I would do…" She let her voice drop off, leaving the rest of her thought to Ed's imagination. Ed stared at his feet, feeling horrible for making her worry. "All I can do is hope it doesn't happen again." He said, finally, after a long silence. He fidgeted slightly before continuing, "You don't have to worry, Winry. I'll be fine."

Winry nodded, although she looked almost close to tears. "Alright." She consented, inclining her head to study her hands, blinking rapidly. Ed caught the look on her face and leaned forward. "I mean it," he said, attempting to comfort her, however unsure if it was working, "I don't want you to worry."

--

Riza looked curiously at Roy, surprised he hadn't heard the news of the Fuhrer's plans yet. "You haven't? I thought everyone knew." Roy deadpanned. "When did you find out?" He asked, unable to believe he hadn't heard an announcement as important as this.

"Um…" Riza started, thinking for a moment. "Yesterday." She said, thinking again for a moment, then nodding when she knew she was correct. Roy looked ready to smack himself. "How come I didn't hear anything! When is he supposed to make this big speech?" Roy inquired, wanting as much information he could get to make up for lacking the information prior to the party.

Riza laughed at Roy's surprise before responding, "It's the closing speech for this party, according to Hughes." Roy let out a breath at the mention of his best friend, turning to look for the man. "Hmm… speaking of Hughes, where is he?" Roy asked, still searching.

Riza pointed to where Roy had yet to look before answering, "Terrorizing Sheska and Havoc with pictures of Elysia." Roy couldn't help the small smile from overcoming his features as he shook his head. "Of course, he's always terrorizing someone." Roy said, standing. "I'll be right back." With that he dismissed himself, making his way over to his friend. Riza smiled to herself as she watched him leave, thinking to herself that he wasn't always the Colonel 'Bastard' he'd been referred to so many times.

--

Winry shook her head and smiled, trying to cheer herself up as much as Ed was trying. "Don't worry about it." Winry looked up again, grinning now. "I'm being silly, of course you'll be alright! You DO have my Automail, after all." Ed smiled with her, relieved she seemed to have calmed down. "Yeah, that I do. It hasn't failed me yet."

Sitting back, Winry's smile widened to a grin. "Well of course it hasn't! _I_ made it!" Ed laughed at Winry's enthusiasm and less-than-modest quips. "You're the best Automail mechanic I could have asked for, Win'."

Ed's statement caused a light blush to play its way over Winry's cheeks. Her voice quieted some as she responded. "Well, I still have a long way to go, but I am pretty good, aren't I?" She allowed herself to grin again, not entirely used to praise. Ed nodded, continuing his earlier compliment. "Of course you are."

He nodded again and brought his right arm around so she could easily see her handiwork. "Look at this. It responds to every little thing I want it to." He flexed the fingers a bit, but his voice fell quite a few notches before he spoke again. "It's what has stopped my hospital visits from being even more serious."

Winry studied Ed's hand for a moment before she took his Automail hand into her own. "Then, for one of the few times, I'm glad you have this arm. For that reason only." Winry knew that if he hadn't had the Automail in the first place, he wouldn't have needed it for protection, but she was still grateful that whatever she could do for him helped. Ed placed his flesh hand over Winry's for a moment, squeezing it gently before moving it away before anyone could see.

--

"Hey there, Hughes." Roy greeted as he reached his friend. He heard Havoc whisper to Sheska as Maes directed his attention to Roy and away from them. "Quick, let's get out of here while he's distracted." Roy noticed Sheska nod before they left out of the corner of his eye. Roy suppressed a smirk while Maes replied.

"Roy! Look good, man!" Maes slapped his friend on the back before whipping out the pictures he'd been showing Havoc and Sheska. "Look at this!" He shoved the picture in Roy's face, proceeding to gush over his daughter. "Isn't she just so cute? In the yard, with her dress and the bow, she's just the epitome of sweet!"

As much as he tried to hide it, Roy didn't always mind Maes' banter about his daughter; he wasn't much for children, but he'd liked Elysia. However, now that something was on his mind, he wasn't about to put up with Maes' ramblings for long.

"Yes, Hughes." Roy conceded, lowering the man's hand with his own before crossing his arms to speak. "What took you so long to get here? I was half expecting you to arrive during set up and erect a hundred foot picture of Elysia in the middle of the gathering." Roy couldn't help but smirk; he honestly wouldn't have been surprised if Maes /had/ gone and done what he'd suggested.

"It was so hard to leave Elysia at the sitters! She was almost in tears and it was so hard to tear myself away!" Maes said dramatically, before looking Roy in the eye, a serious look on his face as he responded to the latter half of Roy's previous statement. "I was going to, but Gracia wouldn't let me."

Roy shook his head, the smirk still in it's place as he voiced his earlier thoughts. "That honestly would not have surprised me." Unable to hold off on the real reason he'd come to talk to Maes, he lifted his head, his expression becoming more serious now. "So, know anything about the 'big announcement' the Fuhrer is supposed to make, or is it just the general "thanks for coming" farewell speech?" Roy knew, better than most, that the Fuhrer didn't show up to the gatherings for such a menial reason as a "thanks for coming farewell speech," but he would have greatly preferred that over the horrors his mind was now concocting.

--

Winry grinned at Ed, letting his Automail hand go so she could slip her hands back under the table. "So, where's Al gone to this time?" She asked, changing the subject before either of them got too uncomfortable. Ed blinked, his expression showing he'd completely forgotten about his brother. "I have no idea…" He turned to look for Al, speaking again as an afterthought, "Where _did_ he go now?"

Winry smiled good naturedly and shrugged to herself. "Well, where did he go when you last saw him?" Ed replied without turning back to face Winry, still searching for his brother. "He was under some table with a box full of kittens." He turned back around to finish his statement facing Winry. "He shooed me away and told me to go talk to y-" Ed froze suddenly, shutting his mouth to keep himself from going farther.

A slightly confused look graced Winry's features. "What? Why'd you stop?" Winry asked, not entirely sure why Ed hadn't continued. Ed blushed, slightly embarrassed. "Nothing, nothing." He waved off her question, asking one of his own before she could continue her interrogation. "If you're done eating, you want to help me find Al?"

Winry blinked, then nodded. "Sure, he shouldn't be too hard to find." She pushed her chair back as she spoke, then stood, waiting for Ed to do the same. "Thanks." He said, standing as well, a small smile on his face as both he and Winry turned to look for Al.

--

Maes let an evil grin overtake his features before he spoke. "Why are you so interested all of the sudden? Something bothering you, Roy?" He asked, knowing Roy wouldn't want to admit being as desperate for information as he looked.

Just as Maes predicted, Roy tried to keep a calm look on his face as he spoke. "Why would anything be bothering me?" Maes laughed at Roy's attempt at keeping calm, he spoke again, knowing exactly what to say to push Roy's buttons. "No reason. Waiting for him to show up before you find out what he's got to say then won't bother you, right?"

Roy coughed a bit, trying to distract himself from revealing exactly how much he wanted to know. "Not at all." Roy stood in silence, fighting within himself to keep his composure while Maes stood with his arms crossed, a smirk on his face.

Finally unable to suppress his curiosity, Roy let the pent up emotion spill out. "Just tell me what you know already!" Maes burst out laughing, managing somehow to speak. "I thought you weren't bothered by it." Roy mock-glared at his friend, becoming frustrated and letting desperation leak into his voice. "Will you stop patronizing me?"

Maes finally grew serious, taking a deep breath before speaking. "Even I'm not sure exactly what he's going to say, Roy. All I know is that it's something bordering on really big." Roy straightened up, relieved to hear even the littlest bit of information from Maes. "Any speculations? I only just found out about this thing a few minutes ago from Riza." Maes thought for a moment, then sighed heavily. "From what I've gathered, which isn't much by the way, it's got something to do with a ton of new military… rules isn't the right word, but it's the only thing I can think of at the moment. Changes are going to be made."

--

Winry spotted Al after only a few moments of looking. She tapped Ed, who was looking in the opposite direction, on the shoulder and pointed to Al. "He's over there talking to Ross." Winry squinted, trying to make out what Al was doing. "What's he doing with the box?" Ed sighed and shook his head. "He's got kittens in it." Winry smiled. "Aww, again?" She laughed at Al's predictability. "What's he doing with them?"

"Trying to find them a home." Ed replied with a small sigh. "I feel bad telling him we can't keep at least one, but we just don't have the means." Winry looked at Ed, who's eyes were fixed on his brother. Winry knew Ed had been the same as his brother when he was younger; she remembered he was the one who had always brought stray animals home. "I'm sure he understands." Winry said, trying to comfort her friend. "I am too, but I still feel bad about it…"

Ed was cut off when Winry let her hand rest on his shoulder. "Let's see how many he's given away so far, hmm?" Ed nodded slightly, grateful for Winry's understanding. "Yeah. Let's."

--

Roy got a dreamy look on his face at the mention of changes being made in the military. "Hmm… changes, huh?" The look on his face betrayed his thoughts of his dream coming to fruition; that of all female officers wearing miniskirts.

Maes laughed at Roy's obvious daydream. "Not those kind of changes." He amended, snapping Roy from his thoughts. Roy's face fell and he looked like a small child caught with his hand in the cookie jar before dinner. "I didn't say anything…" He muttered, much to Maes' amusement.

"Maybe not, but I've known you for a long time, and I know what you were thinking." Maes' laughter had died down, but his smile still remained. Roy shrugged it off, a smile on his face as well. "It'll happen one day." Roy noticed that Riza was still sitting alone, watching them silently. "Heh, looks like someone could use some company. Care to join me?" Roy motioned to the table Riza was sitting at as he spoke.

Maes looked over to Riza and smiled. "Sure. Just let me find Gracia and I'll meet you over there." Roy nodded, turning to leave. "Alright then." He finished while Maes nodded as well, wondering off to find his wife.


	5. An Addition to the Family

**Title: **Untitled

**Author: **Esmuerla (Emera D'Anae and Sull89)

**Chapter Title: **An Addition to the Family

**Chapter Written By: **Sull

**Summary: **It's Christmas in Amestris and even the military is delighting in the holiday. During the annual Christmas party, four people will face love, responsibility, joy, worry, and pain all in one night. Things escalate when the Fuhrer makes an announcement that scatters his troops and sends Roy, Riza, Ed, and Winry South.

**Pairings: **Ed/Winry, Roy/Riza, slight Maes/Gracia, mentions of Havoc/Sheska

**Genre: **Romance, Angst, Action (in later chapters)

**Notes: **Guys, I'm going to echo Em's request from the last chapter; if you read it, please, please review it. We don't expect uber long, in-depth (although they are nice) reviews from every single person who reads, but we'd like to hear from you all the same. Something small is more than fine, they're all appreciated.

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Looking up from the box cradled gently in his hands, Al greeted his friends enthusiastically, "Look Brother, there's only one left!" Holding the box out slightly, the younger Elric let Ed and Winry see inside it, to the small black and white kitten curled up in one corner. 

"Good job, Al." As he watched the kitten breathe deep in sleep, Ed couldn't help but feel a little pang of regret; it was so small, the poor thing needed someone to care for it. He closed his eyes for a moment though and banished the feeling; no matter how the both of them might want one, they just couldn't keep an animal. Smiling at his brother in congratulations at a mission well done, Ed asked, "Who took them?"

Al laughed quietly, remembering how excited they had been when he offered them the kittens, "I found some little girls playing outside the gate and they each took one, so there's only this one left." Now, in a phrase that brought Ed's twinge of guilt back, Alphonse echoed his earlier thought aloud, "It's so small…"

Reaching his hand into the box, Ed ran a gentle hand down the kitten's back, softly waking it from its slumber as he spoke, "He is, isn't he?" The kitten mewed and arched its back, encouraging Ed to keep petting him, a request which the alchemist willingly complied with.

"I would take him," Winry paused to smile lopsidedly at Al in an apology, "but I already have Den." The young woman joined Ed now in petting the small cat, but, before they buried themselves gently in fur, her fingers ran lightly across his to bring soft flesh against soft flesh.

Al, failing to notice the sudden exchange of tenderness between his brother and Winry, went on in trying to find the kitten a home, "Do you think Riza-san might take him?" Looking toward the table where the woman in question and her superior officer were deep in conversation, he started to think out loud, "She took Hayate, so maybe if they'd get along…"

The smile that spread to cover Ed's face when Winry's fingers brushed his was still firmly in place as he said, "She might." Shrugging slightly as he scratched behind one of the kitten's ears, Ed offered up, "It wouldn't hurt to ask."

--

Riza looked up, jarred from her thoughts, as Roy resumed his seat opposite her. His usual smirk hovered across his lips, taunting her silently as he spoke, "Miss me?" Leaning back in his chair ever so slightly, the alchemist ran another appraising eye over his companion, realizing once again how gorgeous she really was.

With a smile that accentuated the dimple above her right cheek, Riza passed over Roy's question to ask one of her own, "Have a good conversation with Hughes?" A quiet laugh followed this; Riza's un-voiced reply to Roy's earlier words.

The alchemist nodded sullenly, pouting in his own way, "Seems he doesn't know much about the mystery speech either." A gusty sigh escaped him now, exasperation at Maes' sudden lack of information expressing itself wordlessly as Roy continued to sulk.

"Really?" Riza gently speared a final, stray bite of chicken on her fork, raising it to her lips and eating it slowly, savoring the succulent juices as they ran down her throat. Watching Roy continue to fidget, Riza couldn't help but shoot him an amused shake of her head before she said, "He always seems to have his nose in everything."

Catching Riza's silent laughter at his actions, Roy immediately straightened his back and held his chin up, bringing his pouting, at least for the moment, to a halt, "I know." Now though, a sly smirk grew to light up his eyes as well, his thoughts evidently taking him somewhere he was quite fond of, "He said all he knew was that there would be some changes in the military."

Rolling her eyes good-naturedly, Riza was quick to pop her superior's train of though before he let it run off with him like it was apt to do, "You're thinking about your miniskirts again, aren't you?"

Leaning back slightly in his chair now, all question of what the Fuhrer was planning were momentarily driven from Roy's mind as he crossed his arms and shot Riza a very cheeky grin, "Maybe." Raising an eyebrow at her slightly, Roy then winked, indicating that his 'maybe' was, in actuality, most definitely a 'yes.'

It seemed the only response Riza could give was another shake of her head, "It's always the same with you." A laugh followed, the light sound echoing slightly in the recesses of Roy's mind, but before that mind could come up with a suitable comeback, Riza's attention was drawn away from him.

"Um… excuse me, Riza-san." Rubbing the back of his neck with slight self-consciousness as he walked up to the lieutenant, Al waited until Ed and Winry were standing firmly at his back before continuing, "I have a question."

Looking away from Roy at the sound of Al's voice, Riza's eyes flashed to take in each of the three people standing before her now. A smile overtook her at seeing that Ed and Winry were standing closer together than usual, but she knew that a comment on it would make them move apart. Not missing a beat, Riza turned to face the youngest of them, "What is it, Al?"

"Well… I found these kitten earlier and I gave them all away except for one…" at first his voice was quiet, a bit nervous, but Riza's encouraging smile helped Al to end his inquiry much stronger, " I thought, since you took Hayate, maybe if he gets along with the kitten, you'd consider taking it too."

"Oh, Al…" A soft sigh escaped Riza as she shook her head apologetically at the boy, in much the same way Winry had, "I don't know if Hayate would get along with a kitten." Thinking about her dog, Riza knew he'd be devastated if she brought another pet into their home, "He's never been around one."

Al shifted, placing careful hands under the kitten and removing him from his cardboard cage. Cradling the animal to his chest, he sighed, "Alright. I just don't know who else to ask." A small smile lit his eyes now as the kitten started to rub the side of its face against him, probably itching an incessant annoyance, "Do you know of anyone who would like a kitten, Riza-san?"

Casting a sly look out of the corner of her eye, Riza called the attention back to her first companion, "You could always ask the Colonel." Laughing at the startled look that shot across Roy's face, Riza turned her gaze back on Al, "If not, try Sheska."

"I asked Sheska," now Al's shoulders slumped, the first sign of possible defeat he's shown all night, "she said she would…" A hint of sadness worked its way through his words, "If only she didn't have so many books laying around for the cat to chew on." Looking up, Al shot Roy a momentarily curious look, hope in his eyes.

Roy caught that look and jumped quickly to deter Al, "Don't look at me." Not wanting to just dump the poor kid like that though, Roy thought quickly and managed to come up with another suggestion, "Have you asked Hughes yet?" Rolling his eyes half-heartedly, Roy nonetheless thought Maes really would take the cat, "He's obsessed with cute things, maybe he'd take it for his daughter."

"What about my daughter?" Making his way back to the table, arm in arm with Gracia, just in time to hear Roy's last words, Maes was quick to jump to the conclusion he always reached when it came to his child, "You want to see pictures of Elysia! Let me get them!"

Maes' hand never reached his wallet though, as Roy smacked his friend's hand away before it got anywhere near a pocket, "I think we've all seen the pictures multiple times, Hughes."

Trying to change the subject before Maes could react, Al let out a sheepish little laugh. "Actually," he held the tiny kitten, which was now in the process of washing itself and completely engrossed in its task, out toward Gracia so she could see, "I was wondering if you would like a kitten for Elysia."

Taking the kitten from Al and thereby startling it into looking at her, Gracia smiled when it mewed softly and ran its head against her wrist, still apparently chasing that elusive itch. "It's adorable, isn't it?" directing her question towards Maes, Gracia tried to get his attention, "I think it's a wonderful idea."

Maes wanted to get back at Roy for not letting him get out the pictures of Elysia somehow, but the conversation was too far gone for him to really do anything about it. Pouting slightly all the same, he turned away from the other man with, "Be that way." Pointedly ignoring Roy now, Maes turned, looking at the kitten in his wife's arms, "It's so cute! Elysia would love that, don't you think, honey?"

With a nod, Gracia smiled at Al, "Then it's settled. We'll take…" pausing momentarily, Gracia lifted the cat's tail just long enough to assure herself of its gender, ignoring the indignant sounds that escaped it, "him." She chuckled slightly at how fickle the little animal seemed to be, as he had already forgotten her invasion and now curled up in her arms, purring, as though preparing to sleep. Looking to the group as a whole, willing to let anyone help, she then asked "Hm… What do you think we should name him?"

Quick to jump on the question, Maes gently took the cat from his previous human, disrupting him from the nap he had just started. A laugh escaped the man when he looked into the kitten's face; it was shooting him the most annoyed look a feline could. Suddenly, a devious thought overtook him and Maes grinned, "You know, he kinda looks like Roy." He winked at Gracia now, still grinning, "Maybe we should name the cat after him."

A full-fledged laugh shot from Maes now, Roy's incensed cry of, "What! That cat looks nothing like me!" doing wonders to amuse him.


End file.
